Sapphire Colour Guide: Hue, Tone and Saturation

Rokero Gems Editorial · Updated 4 October 2026

Understand sapphire hue, tone, saturation, colour zoning, lighting and why colour names are not universal grades.

Hue describes the colour family, tone describes how light or dark the stone appears, and saturation describes colour intensity.

Lighting can change appearance, so compare daylight and indoor views when colour is important.

Terms such as cornflower and royal blue are widely used, but their boundaries are not universal across sellers or laboratories.